Bereavement

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For more details on registering a death access the Lancashire County Council website, which includes details of how to register a death in this area.

There are two cemeteries in Chorley, Adlington and Southport Road, Chorley. Both cemeteries are maintained by us, please contact us to report any cemetery issues.The cemeteries are open 365 days a year.​​​

Finding a funeral director The National Association of Funeral Directors can help you find a funeral director in your area and also offers useful and practical advice.

Paying for the funeral Under common law whoever orders the funeral becomes liable for the funeral costs regardless of their relationship to the deceased. It is wise to obtain quotations before deciding on a particular firm. Where an element is not satisfactory the payment of the account may be disputed, however the disbursements are not part of the funeral directors charges and must be paid. Most funeral directors should be able to supply an estimate of a basic funeral and should not be used if unable to do so.

It is possible to get assistance with the cost of a funeral under certain circumstances. Age UK also has a fact sheet 'arranging a funeral' and will offer advice as will the Citizens Advice Bureau.

Funeral plans Some people ease the worry of paying for a funeral by purchasing a funeral plan. There are a number of options available and if you feel this would be beneficial, it is advisable to look carefully at all the options. It is necessary to choose a burial or cremation package that meets your need. Companies operate these plans in different ways some allow disbursement costs up to a set amount with any additional expenses payable at the time of the funeral. Others may have a fixed price for a set package which will not vary (i.e. Hearse plus one limousine only or no facility for press notices). They can be paid by instalments or lump sum and will be at current prices. It is advisable to check exactly what is included to ensure the plan is to your requirements. It is also possible to purchase some items in advance i.e. grave, which will reduce the cost of the funeral. This can be done through a funeral director or directly with the cemetery office.

Funeral arrangers A new type of 'green' funeral director is emerging, promoting bio-degradable coffins and a more personal approach. Funeral facilitators are also appearing. They are people who will assist the bereaved in organising a funeral for a fee. They may offer a vehicle to carry the coffin and assist in handling the body. Other people such as nurses may offer laying-out or body preparation services, to avoid people having to do this themselves. This may be particularly relevant when a person dies at home with a 'hospice at home' scheme. These changes are evidence of a return to the past when various members of the community helped in the completion of a funeral.

Service arrangementsThe majority of people choose a religious type of ceremony which follows their cultural traditions, and this can be arranged through your local religious leader (Priest, Vicar etc.). This can be held at your place of worship or at the cemetery or crematorium of your choice.

If you wish to have a non-religious funeral, the British Humanist Association will put you in touch with a local officiant. You may however wish to conduct the service yourself. The choice of music (if any) and wording should be discussed with the cemetery or crematorium to ensure enough time is available to perform the ceremony reverently. It is quite acceptable to bring the deceased to the cemetery and crematorium without having a service if you so wish.

Woodland burialSome people find environmental issues are important and wish to consider the impact of disposal on the environment. Woodland burial is an option which may be chosen. This entails burial to a single depth in an area in which there are no memorials but will be landscaped as a woodland area. The area is usually maintained as a wildlife area - grass being left long and generally wild flowers seeds are sown. Some areas permit normal coffins to be interred, others only allow cardboard or willow coffins/containers, or shrouds.

BurialsA full copy of the Cemeteries rules and regulations can be obtained by contacting us.

When you purchase a grave you are issued with a deed granting the grave owner exclusive right of burial for 100 years (subject to the conditions then in force). This deed must be produced whenever the grave is to be opened for an interment. The loss of the deed could cause delay and inconvenience, and could result in the council refusing to re-open the said grave. Please ensure it is kept in a secure place.

When the grave has to be re-opened for an interment, the deed must be handed to your Funeral Director, who will then make all the necessary arrangements with us. We will return the deed to the grave owner following the funeral.

In the event of the interment being that of the grave owner the grave deed will be returned to the person who authorised the interment. An application must then be made within six months of the interment to transfer the grave ownership to the next of kin.

Grave capacity The Exclusive Right of Burial can be purchased for a grave space for up to three interments. Please ensure the amount of intended interments is specified at the time of interment (one, two or three) The expected grave capacity will be stated on the reverse of the Burial Grant, along with the depths, dates and names of the past interments. No guarantee can be given that the specified amount can be attained due to the varying ground conditions within the cemeteries.

The grave capacity will not be affected by the interment of cremated remains. If a grave is purchased solely for the interment of cremated remains, this also must be stated at the time of purchase, as any future full interments would result in the disturbance of past cremated remains.

Grave ownership The person whose name appears on the deed as purchaser is the only person who can authorise the erection of a memorial, additional inscriptions and all future interments. When the owner of an exclusive right of burial is interred, the grave will be considered closed unless the deed has been legally transferred. To transfer ownership of a grave please contact us. When purchasing the exclusive right of burial, the popular belief is that the land has been bought. This is incorrect, and only the right of burial has been acquired. The ownership of the land and the responsibility for its management remains with us.

Chorley Cemetery was opened 1856, with the first Interment on 7th January 1857. Adlington Cemetery was opened in 1875, with the first Interment there on 20th July 1875.

The need arose as there was no longer room for burials in churchyards and sanitary problems arose. From the 1820's private cemeteries (named from the Greek word meaning ' Sleeping Places ') were formed independently of the churches. Shareholders drew dividends from the great profits made.

There was a feeling that burial facilities should be among the public health improvements being made by local government. During the 1840's several cities applied for acts of Parliament to enable them to build cemeteries with public money, the acts were passed in the 1850's and the municipal cemetery began. Religion and social status was all important in the typical Victorian cemetery.

Each of our cemeteries started with a class based pricing structure when they opened and were also divided into different religious sections. The religious divides still remain in operation today although many people use different reasons when choosing their final resting place. The class based pricing structure was dropped many years ago to be replaced by the present day system.

Up to March 2004 there had been a total of 49,666 Interments within the two cemeteries, with Chorley Cemetery 42,686 Interments and Adlington 6,980.

All the statutory burial and cremation records for Chorley are held at our Union Street offices. Many enquiries are received from families who wish to locate the burial place of their loved ones or search their family history. For this reason there is a fee payable.

If you wish to locate a family member then contact us including: • The full name of the deceased. • The approximate month and year that the person passed away.

The Garden of Remembrance is situated within Chorley Cemetery, off Southport Road, and is an area set aside solely for the interment of cremated remains.

The focal point is a paved area which contains a Columbaria planter where memorial plaques can be placed in memory of loved ones.

The planter has the capacity to accommodate 48 memorial plaques, and has the facility for the placing of floral tributes around the base. The plaques are 12ins x 3 ins. Three lines of gold leaf inscription can be inscribed on each plaque. The plaque will be placed on the planter for an initial period of 10 years with the option to renew for further periods.

The new section of the Garden of Remembrance offers an alternative burial space set aside solely for the interment of ashes, providing a suitable resting place for a loved one in a quiet, attractive and easy to visit place.

Each plot is sold as a family grave and is able to hold up to 4 caskets of ashes and a small memorial up to 18 inches in height with inscriptions. For more information contact us.

All memorials must be constructed and erected by a Memorial Mason who is registered with The British Register of Accredited Memorial Masons (BRAMM). The Memorial Mason must also comply with the code of practice specified by the National Association of Memorial Masons (NAMM).

An application to erect a headstone must be made to us by a Memorial Mason. A fee is charged for the erection of a memorial and this is payable by the mason, please check this is included in the price you are quoted.

We have regulations governing the size/construction of memorials and inscriptions also have to be approved to ensure decency.

Our cemeteries are designated as lawn cemeteries and as such no kerbs or surrounds are allowed. The cultivation of the grave space for the purposes of planting shrubs or plants is also not permitted.

The maintenance of all memorials remains the responsibility of the grave owner and insurance cover for the memorial is advised. Details of insurance can be obtained from your Memorial Mason.

Memorials and flower holders remain on graves entirely at the owners risk and we cannot accept responsibility for any damage however caused.

We reserve the right to remove unauthorised memorials, memorials which have become unsafe and to prune or dig up any plants or shrubs that have become overgrown or unsightly.

We offer memorial benches in Chorley Cemetery, manufactured from sustainable quality hardwood and are dedicated for a period of 15 years or the lifetime of the bench, whichever is the sooner.

A stainless steel plaque with your chosen inscription is provided with each bench. The memorial bench will be sited on a paved platform in an area of your choosing subject to availability and the discretion of the Council.

During the dedication period we accept responsibility for the upkeep of the bench which includes cleaning and annual treating with wood preserve. We cannot however be held responsible for any wilful damage caused.

A fee of £27.00 is payable in order to transfer the ownership of a grave. To complete the transfer we require your full name, address and date of birth. If you are applying for joint ownership of a grave the details for all applicants should be provided.

In the following circumstances, to confirm your entitlement to ownership of the grave, we also require additional information from you:

1. If the grave owner has passed away and left a will you need to provide the original copy of the grant of probate. 2. If the grave owner did not leave a will you need to provide the original copy of the grant of letters of administration.

If several generations have passed since the grave owner died, to confirm your entitlement to ownership of the grave, it will be necessary to see all documentation beginning with the original grant of probate/letters of administration.

3. If the grave owner has passed away and a grant of probate or letters of administration were not needed a statutory declaration is required

A statutory declaration is a legal document and should be drawn up by a solicitor of your choice. It must include the following information: 1. The deceased’s full name 2. Their date of death 3. The location of the grave including the cemetery, religion, section and plot number 4. Your full name, address and date of birth 5. Your relationship to the deceased 6. An undertaking from you that you will indemnify Chorley Council against all actions, proceedings, demands, costs or expenses of any nature (including the exhumation of any burial) should it be subsequently proven that your claim to ownership of the grave is unfounded and that you have no title to exercise ownership of the grave. 7. If there are other possible applicants, for example any siblings, the partner of the deceased and/or any other person with an interest in the plot, who do not wish to be included as the grave owner you should also include written statements from them consenting to the transfer of the ownership rights to you. 8. If you are applying for joint ownership of a plot, details of all applicants (including their date of birth) should be included in the statutory declaration

The statutory declaration should be signed by all the applicants in the presence of an authorised court official, a commissioner for oaths, a magistrate or solicitor.

The requirement for a statutory declaration exists to ensure that burial rights are transferred only to the rightful owner(s) and serves to protect both the owners of those rights and the Council.

When someone has died, there are lots of things that need to be done, at a time when you probably least feel like doing them. One of these things is contacting the government departments and local authority services that need to be told. This service means that you can just tell us and we will let these organisations know.

How the service can help you When someone has died, their death needs to be registered with the registrar. Once that’s done, several other organisations may have to be contacted and given the same information. The registrar will give you a Tell Us Once reference number - you’ll need this to sign in to Tell Us Once.

Information you will needYou’ll need the deceased person’s: • death certificate details • National Insurance number • date of birth • driving license number • passport number • details of any benefits and services they were getting

You will also be asked about the deceased person’s next of kin, and the person or company dealing with their estate (their property, belongings and money).

You will need: • their names, addresses and phone numbers • permission to provide their details

Use Tell Us Once online, by phone or face-to-face • By phone - 0800 085 7308 • In person, by making an appointment at the Union Street office